Or how my software and I spent my summer vacation !

First of all, there's no way to sum-up this adventure without writing thousands of words. Therefore, to read-up on the Neptune-Canada project, (and save me from this daunting task) go here first! or directly to their installation blog (Wiki). (And then come back for a few more pictures.)

This was so massive an undertaking by Canada, The University of Victoria, The Canadian Scientific Submersible Facility (ROPOS), the research vessels R/V's Atlantis (WHOI) and Thompson (University of Washington) along with Alcatel-Lucent and its cable ship, the C/S Lodbrog - and hundreds of scientists, engineers and contractors around the world from various universities and institutions - that I'm still trying to figure out how to properly write about it!! I do know that I'm humbled to have been asked to navigate for such an undertaking and to have supplied nav software on all ships involved in the project.

Maybe I need a summer vacation after all... But don't even tell me summer is gone already! (Stay tuned for more.) ~Jim

For all you mooring calibrators, all three navigation program releases now support the newer 8011M deck set from ORE. The 8011M is a modern, programmable version of their older 8011A with many improvements. We look forward to hearing many stories of successful mooring cal's with this new transciever!

In addition, for SeaScape and WorkBoat users, ROV/AUV/SUB navigators now have more power tools than ever. Multiple CAD .DXF files linked/rotated on your nav grid, powerful DXF and print previews, polymorphic track line and track lane constructions usable for any purpose (cables, lanes, vehicle tracks, etc.), improved navigation aids rendering, exporting most any grid objects as a DXF drawings, compound ruler tool, advanced bottom plotting/logging, better communications with ROV console and bridge WorkBoats... The list is long. Our "ROV navigation flagship" client, CSSF ("ROPOS") will be using all these new features this year - and hopefully in coming years - in VENUS and NEPTUNE projects in the north Pacific. See how WorkBoat and SeaScape get used.

WorkBoat's little cousin : "M-Cal." This relatively new program makes it extremely easy to calibrate the position of acoustic releases for any purpose: buoy anchors, sub-surface moorings, deep ocean instrument packages, hydrophone arrays, etc. M-Cal is "checklist-driven" keeping even the most casual navigator on top of the problem of acoustically positioning their expensive bottom packages.

M-Cal supports five acoustic transceivers including the popular EdgeTech 8011A and PS8000, the Benthos DS7000 and their ATM880 ranging acoustic modem, and the LinkQuest acoustic modem. Mobilizing in just minutes, M-Cal inherits WorkBoat's I/O intelligence including the ability to feed the program UDP and TCP NMEA-0183 data over a LAN. With extensive HTML Help sub-system, navigators can even train themselves with a sophisticated simulator where they perform mock mooring calibrations and become familiar with the program.